Dreier Acts to Support Veterans

May 23, 2008

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman David Dreier (R-Sam Dimas, CA), Rules Committee Ranking Republican, voted this week in support of several measures designed to help veterans and their families with improved health care, housing, and legal services.  Dreier said Memorial Day weekend is an appropriate time to reflect on the tremendous contributions of our veterans and the importance of providing them with the benefits and services they need. 

“We can never fully repay our veterans and their families, but we can offer them our gratitude and support,” Dreier said.  “The measures approved by the House this week seek to make the health care services they receive better, easier to navigate, and more thorough.  We also took steps to ensure we have the long term interests of our veterans in mind.  This Memorial Day, please take a moment to thank a veteran and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.”

Dreier voted to approve H.R. 3819, the Veterans’ Emergency Care Fairness Act of 2007, which passed the House by a vote of 412-0.  It requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to reimburse veterans receiving emergency treatment in non-VA facilities for such treatment until transfer to a VA facility is possible. 

He also supported H.R. 5826, The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2008, which passed the House by a vote of 417-0.  The bill will increase, effective December 1, 2008, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities, and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans.    

Additionally, Dreier voted to approve H.R. 5856, the VA Medical Facility Authorization and Lease Act of 2008, which passed the House by a vote of 416-0.  It will authorize major medical facility projects and major medical facility leases for VA in fiscal year 2009, and will authorize approximately $2.2 billion over the next five years to improve access to healthcare for our nation’s veterans.

Dreier also supported the following bills which passed by voice vote: H.R. 2790 will establish the position of Director of Physician Assistant Services within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); H.R. 3681 the Veterans’ Benefits Awareness Act of 2007will authorize VA to purchase advertising in national media to promote awareness of veterans’ benefits; H.R. 3889 will require a longitudinal study of VA vocational rehabilitation programs; H.R. 5554 the Justin Bailey Veterans’ Substance Use Disorders Prevention and Treatment Act of 2008 will expand and improve VA health care services for substance use disorders; H.R. 5664 will direct VA to update, at least once every six years, plans and specifications for its specially adapted housing program.  H.R. 5729, the Spina Bifida Health Care Program Expansion Act, will direct VA to provide comprehensive health care to certain Vietnam veterans’ children born with spina bifida; H.R. 6048 will amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide for the protection of child custody arrangements for parents deployed in support of a contingency operation.